Looking for Answers: Email Templates using HTML & CSS

[DomCronshaw]

Good evening all, I've been reading the forums for a few hours now and I'm still without a comprehensive answer.

First off, it seems that this forum is filled with sys admins and users with a sizeable technical background. I don't consider myself a slouch, but I find myself frustrated to a huge degree with SugarCRM. I'm using lunarpages for our server with SugarCRM setup through a subdomain.

OS: Linux
SugarCRM Version: 4.0.1
Apache Version: 1.3.37 (Unix)
PHP Version: 4.4.4
MySQL Version: 4.0.25-standard

Okay, here's my issue. Why is Sugar so user-hostile when it comes to emails? It would seem that one of the first criteria in the development of a useful CRM system would be bulletproof (if simple) email functionality.

Areas that seem way more difficult than they should be (other posts about other desired email functions cover many more):

• Setting up email to pull new mail into sugar
• No "Send/Receive" Button...Still dont' understand why it's not included
• Cut/Paste HTML from any source into email template

That last one is really where my latest frustration lies. Email campaigns. Let's talk about it; my apologies if I seem like a simpleton.

I just want to be able to send an HTML formatted email that I made in Dreamweaver and uses linked images and an external CSS file all stored on my webserver (and linked using absolute paths) to a group of existing contacts and know how many arrived and if any bounced. This seems like it would be easy (and is in other mass email programs including Microsoft Small Business Services). Let the madness begin...

Following the well-praised guide found here: http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8830

1. Click campaigns tab
2. Create a campaign, a target list and an "email marketing" (perhaps that requires a new name)
3. Using the email account that only shows up since I gave it "bounce handling" as a job in email admin, I set the simple parameters and then attempt to create an email template.

So far, so good, but creating an email template with Sugar is like trying to hit the bullseye after 4 beers...you can always get close, but you just keep getting more frustrated as you get closer but not where you want to be. Okay, so the metaphor sucks. Let me explain a bit more:

I have my HTML code. I would think Sugar would love it...lap it up and prove to me via a "preview" button (hmm..why doesn't that exist either?!!?) that Sugar understands the HTML. Nope. Not that simple. You paste it in and while it looks close: CSS seems to get pulled, but it has a ton of extra space at the top (even with topmargin set at "0") and some links aren't aligned correctly and the spacing is way wrong. So, using the editor, I can help Sugar display it like I want, but have to manually put in the CSS code again. Seems like a lot of steps for just inputting existing HTML code!!

FYI: It should look like this: http://www.blackwavestudios.com/imag..._10262006.html

With the test email sent, some servers recognize the CSS, but some don't (Gmail, for one). That's probably a problem on the receiving end, but I thought I would mention it.

Now, the "Campaign Response" graph and lists...appears after you send, but where's the link to view this again at a later time?? Furthermore, I tested the "bounced" feature by adding a contact with a phony email address (correctly formatted, though). Sugar didn't pick up the bounce! I have to interpret it from the list of those who the email was sent to and the list of those who opened it. I don't think I need to explain why this method is hugely faulty. Why doesn't Sugar recognize it couldn't deliver the email to the phony account? My mailserver recognizes it and sends me an email...but for some reason, Sugar falls short.

So, I apologize if this has seemed like a bunch of complaining. I'm happy to post any further info if requested and/or pop you one of the test emails to see if the CSS issue happens to you. I hope someone out there has some answers, and if they provide them, I'd be happy to produce a comprehensive guide to email campaigns.

Thanks in advance!

Dom

[SarahWilson]

I'm totally with you on this one. We also noticed that in setting up the Bounce handling email box in our Outlook Public folder we used a lower case b not a B. Outlook was fine with this but Sugar dropped the folder to the bottom of the list where it was almost missed.

There is some excellent work in Sugar but I'm struggling to find this system as (Power) User friendly as it could be. Many SMEs have multi-tasking advanced users, they do not want to employ a techie to do their mailshots - that defeats the object of the exercise. I thought this was about empowering users not binding them to the IT department.

Same applies to issues like Active Directory tie in - nothing appears to work "out of the box" without quite a lot of effort.